Dallas, TX —Laura Swaney will serve as chair of the March of Dimes 2023 Dallas March for Babies: A Mother of a Movement™. Swaney is division vice president for women's and children's services for Medical City Healthcare and serves on the executive committee of the Dallas affiliate of the March of Dimes. Medical City Healthcare is also the Signature Sponsor of this year's Dallas March for Babies.
As one of the region's largest providers of hospital services, Medical City Healthcare delivered more than 20,000 babies throughout its system of care in North Texas last year. Nearly 6,000 babies required a higher level of care and admission to one of Medical City Healthcare's eight neonatal intensive care units (ICUs).
“Although we see thousands of healthy babies born each year across our outstanding Medical City Healthcare system, we also see many who need life-saving treatments in our neonatal ICUs or in the expert hands of our world-class fetal medicine specialists,” says Laura Swaney, Medical City Healthcare VP of women's and children's services. “March of Dimes is unparalleled in the work it does for moms and babies and I am very honored to be part of this Mother of a Movement.”
Each year in the U.S., about 380,000 babies are born pre-term. The latest available statistics show that one in ten babies were born preterm in Dallas county, with Black infants, American Indian/Alaska Natives and Hispanics having the highest rates. The goal for March of Dimes is to end preventable maternal health risks and deaths, end preventable pre-term birth and infant death and close the health equity gap.
“Laura and Medical City Healthcare are longtime supporters of March for Babies, dedicated to raising awareness of the vital work of March of Dimes in lifting up the North Texas community for health equity and access to care for moms and babies,” says Arlene Johnson, March of Dimes Executive Director, DFW Market Impact. “We are grateful for their significant investment in our work and have no doubt that with Laura as the Dallas Walk Chair, she will rally the community to make a tremendous impact in the lives of moms, babies and families.”
The Dallas March for Babies will take place Saturday, April 29 at Trinity Groves, 3046 Gulden Lane, Dallas, TX. Visit the Dallas March for Babies website for more information, to donate and start or join a team. Also in North Texas, the Tarrant County March for Babies will take place on Saturday, April 15 at Panther Island Pavilion, 395 Purcey Street, Fort Worth, TX. Visit the Tarrant County March for Babies website for more information.